


Carousel

by Turtle_Lady42



Series: Life is a rollercoaster [1]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Brotherly Love, Human AU, I Ship It, I will finish it no matter what, Love at First Sight, M/M, No Incest, Orphanage AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-09-04
Updated: 2016-09-04
Packaged: 2018-08-13 00:27:36
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,649
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7954966
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Turtle_Lady42/pseuds/Turtle_Lady42
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Michael takes care of a bunch of children in Kansas Orphanage. His life is calm and peaceful and all about helping others.<br/>That is until the new kid, Lucifer shows up.</p><p>First part of the series: Life is a rollercoaster</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This series is basicly a chain of life scenes but everything is connected and it should form a beautiful love story when it's finished.
> 
> It's a very new type of fanfiction for me to write but I'm doing my best to make it enjoyable. So I would appreciate some comments.

It is Friday half past 12 when the new kid arrives.

The smaller ones are bored at this time (as usually) so Michael reads up for them.

The new kid is loud when Miss Smith and Miss Thomas are pulling him into the hall using all of their power.

The tall blond boy kicks and bites and shouts as if they tried to take his life away.

He tries to escape, but can’t use his hands because of the handcuffs on them.

He is being pushed down into a chair as they are writing his name and date of birth down beside his documented past life.

Michael catches Miss Thomas cringe her nose when the boy tells something but can’t hear what made the nun react like she did.

The boy seems smug and rebellious as he answers all the questions with a taunting grin on his face, his annoyance only showing lightly.

After they wrote down everything needed they are leading the teenage boy to the big bedroom all the orphans shared at.

The boy doesn’t really pay attention at the nuns as he follows them meanwhile playing with his handcuffs.

Michael sighs. One more kid he needs to look after from now on.

He decides to talk with the guy at lunch.  Maybe he will calm down until then.

One of the younger boys, Castiel pulls the sleeves of his jacket telling him to keep reading.

Michael smiles at him before looking back in Harry Potter and continuing to read.

 ************************

Lunch is dry as always. Michael told the cooks more than once already that they should make the food more eutrophic. He had been made fun of each time.

The tall blond kid sits down in front of Michael handcuffs still on and starts to eat in silence.

Michael notices the large burns on his face but doesn’t comment on it. The boy is neither the first nor the last arriving with scars from his past.

He instead just smiles at him kindly.

“Hi. I see you’re new here. What’s your name?”

The boy just snorts not looking up from his food.

“Why do you care? Just eat your damn launch.”

Michael met with this attitude before and is about to answer when Gabriel, the third (from now on the fourth) eldest child of the orphanage runs up to him.

“Do you want the rest of your food?” he smiles his most childish smile and combines it with puppy eyes.

Michael smiles at him genuinely and gives his plate to the kid.

“Make sure to give the others too. I will check on it.”

Gabriel nods excited and ran off with the plate of noodles.

Michael looks back at the boy in front of him and notices his blue eyes staring at him questioningly.

“Just tell me your name and I will explain everything.” He smirks at the curiousness of the tall blond.

He rolls his eyes.

“It’s not like I can’t find out stuff by myself… My name is Lucifer.”  Lucifer smiles an evil smile which seems to be more of a practiced expression then a natural one.

The older boy laughs a bit at that and offers his hand.

“Hello Satan. My name is Michael.” he smirks.

The evil smile on Lucifer’s face shifts into an amused one as he shakes the offered hand.

“Interesting…Nice to meet you.”

They are sitting back and Michael watches Lucifer eating like he hadn’t eat in days.

That is probably the case…

“So… what did you do to deserve those?”

Michael asks pointing at the handcuffs.

Lucifer shrugs and answers with full mouth not even looking up.

“What didn’t I do?”

Michael nods again. Lucifer seems to be gone through a lot but he doesn’t want to push anything.

“How did you get your name? Did your parents hate you or something?” He asks teasingly. Lucifer seems to react better at unserious or funny comments.

“Indeed they did.” Lucifer smiles back. “But they didn’t give me a name. They kept calling me the devil and other nice stuff so I decided to grow up for their expectations.” he speaks casually with a tone of bittersweet irony.

Michael nods keeping up his smile but frowning in his head. Lucifer seems to have the most problematic background he has ever seen since he arrived 13 years ago when he was 4 years old.

He had met with boys who were harmed in the past but never heard of a case who wasn’t even named.

He knows he will need to look after Lucifer more than anyone else.

“Well, it’s a nice name no matter what others might say. Lucifer was one of the strongest archangels before he fell. Some called him the Morning star because he shone from all the power he had and gave hope to the other angels.

His falling was also caused by a sin we would all commit. His only sin was loving God, his father more than the Lord’s Creation, Humanity which God forbid.”

Lucifer’s surprised eyes are meeting with Michael’s.

“So… What you’re saying is… You do like Lucifer?”

“I’m not Satanist. I’m a Christian. “Michael answers quickly grabbing the biblical cross hanging on his neck as a necklace. “But I do understand his motives and would see him as a sympathetic character if Bible would be a fictional novel instead of religious case.” He looks up with a tiny bit of panic in his eyes.

Lucifer looks at him fascinated. His blue eyes are shining from curiosity.

“Michael… You are interesting. I shall not smite you for not worshipping Satan.” he says with a large grin humor is clear in his voice.

Michael supposes it is his way of saying he likes him. He smiles back.

“Thank you for your kindness oh, Lord of darkness.”

“I like Morning star better…” Lucifer mutters just loud enough for Michael to catch it.

The boy smiles.

“Of course. Forgive my rudeness.”

Lucifer smiles up at him.

“You’ve been forgiven, Sword of Heaven.”

And Michael laughs.

When sack time comes Lucifer and the other kids are following Michael to their chamber. Lucifer’s handcuffs are gone now, though Michael is not sure when did he get rid of them.

Michael reads out loud from the Bible and leads a collective prayer before putting everyone in bed.

Lucifer comments on each word of the book and makes fun of the prayer with saying satanic stuff but Michael just shoots a glare towards him. He doesn’t want to make him change his mind of religion; he just wants him to respect Michael’s ritual.

Lucifer understands and shuts up with a smirk still lingering on his lips.

After everyone is sleeping except Michael and Lucifer who claims that “The devil does not sleep” Michael goes to his bed too. He gets ready to sleep and closes his eyes when he feels a big weight on himself.

He opens his eyes to see Lucifer.

“We should go out to take a trip.” He says.

Michael blinks a bit to clear his sight before sitting up.

“It’s night. We’re not allowed to go out.” He says firmly.

“Oh dang it. Really! It is nigh! And we’re not allowed to go out! So I definitely won’t go out!” Lucifer pretends to be agitated and then grins. “Just kidding. I will definitely go out. The whole point is the poach.”

Michael frowns.

“Leaving the building in these hours might trail serious punishment.”

“Sounds thrilling. What kind of punishment I wonder.” Lucifer asks teasingly.

“The Cage.” Michael answers seriously. “They would put us in the Cage. It is a small narrow box deep under the ground. People say it’s hot as hell.”

“Exciting. Have you been there?” The taller boy asks without a sign of fear.

Michael shakes his head.

“Never.”

“Then we could just take the risk and in the worst case you will have a bad experience too beside the good one.” Lucifer winks and gets out of Michael’s bed. He looks back.

“You come? Or should I go without you?”

Michael looks away unsure. Lucifer shrugs and starts to walk towards the door.

Michael hops out and runs after Lucifer.

“You shouldn’t do this.”

“Well, I will.”

“You don’t know how the Cage is.”

“Neither do you.”

“This can be dangerous.”

“That’s the point.”

Michael follows Lucifer out of the orphanage without realizing it. The large door closes behind them and Michael sees lights and building he didn’t see for a while now. His mouth opens from surprise as he stops talking.

Lucifer grins at him.

“How about we’re going to the amusement park? It had been long since I’ve been there.”

Michael just nods still in shock. Lucifer giggles and starts to walk confidently. Michael just follows him with big steps, his eyes taking in the big city around them.

He wasn’t out of the orphanage since he was five.

Cars come and go on their right, traffic lights are changing in the dark.

Lucifer walks forward flatly. Michael is behind him.

Sometimes they stop to stare a storefront. Then they just keep walking.

 ***************************************

 

When they are arriving to the amusement park it is closed already.

It doesn’t matter for Michael the city was interesting anyway.

He looks at Lucifer.

“We should go back.”

The boy’s blue eyes are on him now.

“Already? The fun just starts now!” He says opening the door of the park with a master key and walking in.

Michael’s jew drops.

“Where did you get that?!”

“From an old pal.” Lucifer answers coolly. “Are you coming or not?”

Michael comes.

The park is enormous; Michael did never see it before. He saw pictures but did never even consider seeing it in reality. The new headmaster of the orphanage never left them out to the town and when the old one took them out for an hour once he was too young to go anywhere far yet.

His eyes widened as he saw the Ferris-wheel. It didn’t function per moment but Michael still found it amazing.

Michael have never sat on a wheel like this before but imagined the feeling like flying. Mostly because of the sight. He was always attached to nice views.

Lucifer sees what he’s looking at and sighs.

“Seriously? Ferris-wheels are lame. You’re such a boring guy. Let me show you something real fun.”

Lucifer leads him to the water slides.

“What is so fun about…” Michael starts to ask but gets interrupted by a huge wave of water as Lucifer jumps into the water with his clothes still on.

Michael gasps.

“Hey! Come out of there! You will catch a cold.”

Lucifer splatters water in his face as an answer.

Michael spits some chlorinated water out of his mouth.

“But seriously. That’s just rude. And you shouldn’t let your clothes get soaked…”

Lucifer pulls him in the water suddenly, so he falls into the waves too.

“What the…?! That’s cold!” he screams.

Lucifer splutters him again.

“Oh come on, I’m sure you can handle it.”

“You’re being creepy. And cut out the dashing or I swear…”

Water lashes into his face again.

“What Michael? What will you do then?” Lucifer teases.

Michael growls and splashes water at Lucifer. The boy lets out a maniac laughter.

“Is that all you can do, Sword of Justice?”

Michael smiles at the challenge and the war begins.

They are coming out of the pool after a few hours of water fighting. Their clothes are soaked.

They are locking eyes and starting to laugh. Michael didn’t feel this sense of freedom for a long time.

“What should we do next?” Lucifer looks around.

Michael takes a peek at his wristwatch.

“Go home I’m afraid…”

Lucifer appears to be disappointed but all he says is:

“Do you really call that old bunch of bricks a home?”

Then he follows Michael towards the exit.

 **********************************************

The way back to the orphanage is long and intimate.

Michael asks Lucifer about his parents between the glowing lights and Lucifer tells him how he got the burns on his face but asks Michael to talk about his family in exchange. Michael tells about how he was raised into being religious and how his parents died in an epidemic.

Both of them stop asking about each other’s past after that.

There are just a few cars on the streets now. Most of the tenants are asleep in a time like this.

Michael and Lucifer are walking back laughing and joking. They are leaving wet footprints behind themselves.

Lucifer still chuckles when they get back to the front door of the orphanage. Michael hisses at him.

They are walking back to the bedroom holding their breathe at the whole time.

When they got back both of them collapses into their bed snickering.

“That was not bad.” Michael says.

“Not bad?! That was awesome!” Lucifer answers a bit too loudly so Michael needs to hiss at him again.

And then the door opens and a nun stands there. Wet footsteps are shining on the floor from the light of a torch.

Lucifer mouths “Fuck!” towards Michael.


	2. Chapter 2

They are being pushed down in the Cage in half an hour. Their clothes are still wet so they are less hot in the warmth of the small box.

By small box Michael meant real small. Tiny. Definitely not for two person. Especially not for two teenagers.

Michael and Lucifer are squashed against each other in the small place. Michael shifts in discomfort but it doesn’t help much.

“This place is worse than I’ve expected…”

Lucifer laughs. Michael doesn’t understand how he can laugh in this position.

“Do you want to have more space to move?”

Michael snorts.

“Of course but that’s impossible.”

Lucifer moves and in a moment he sits in Michael’s lap.

“Now it’s more comfortable, thanks.” Michael rolls his eyes.

“It is for me.” Lucifer grins.

Michael just sighs. He got used to place the other kids upon himself so Lucifer’s selfishness doesn’t really bother him.

Their clothes are drying in the heat in a short time.

The Cage is really hot like hell.

Lucifer leans back against his chest.

“Entertain me.”

Michael just shakes his head. He is not sure how could he entertain a man in Lucifer’s age.

“How old are you again?” He asks instead.

Lucifer pouts.

“You are boring… I’m sixteen years old. How about you?”

He seems older Michael thinks.

“I’m seventeen.”

Lucifer laughs.

“You are older and small!” He taunts.

Michael snorts.

“At least I’m able to act mature.”

“Sure thing, you’ve made that clear back in the pool too.” Lucifer huffs with a smirk.

“Shut up.”

The Satan just pretends to be offended.

“He said shut up to me…”

The Cage is too warm and they are both sweaty and stinky until now.

“When do you think they will get us out?” Lucifer asks sniffing.

“Probably a few days later? I have no idea I was never here before. I’m trying to avoid trouble.”

“Such a good boy.” Lucifer praises him as if he was a dog.

They are silent for a few hours after that.

Lucifer plays with the buttons of his jacket.

Michael prays.

Lucifer interrupts him after a while.

“Entertain me. I don’t care how just stop praying please I feel like I’m stuck in church and let me tell you that is way more worse than the Cage.”

Michael ignores the comment but stops praying.

“What should I do exactly?”

“I don’t know! Anything! Talk to me or something. I’m bored.”

“So why don’t you talk to me then?”

“What the hell should I talk about?”

“How should I know? I don’t have a topic either.”

They are falling in silence once again.

Then Michael starts to quote from books he reads a lot to the kids and so knows by heart.

Lucifer listens to Michael’s voice not really caring about what he says. He relaxes a bit and closes his eyes.

Suddenly the door opens.

“For now you were lucky. There’s a visitor and we need to gather everyone. But remember this few hours when thinking about going against the rules again.” Miss Smith shouts down as she helps them out of the pit.

She also sends a dirty look seeing Lucifer sitting in Michael’s lap.

Lucifer climbs out first Michael follows him almost immediately.

It seems like it’s morning already. The time in the Cage feels so different than out here. That or they really did stay for too long out in the city.

They are late from breakfast so they are just going back to the hall.

Gabriel jumps on them in the minute they get back.

“Did you really were in the Cage?” He looks at Michael and then at Lucifer.

Michael nods.

Gabriel’s eyes are widening to the size of a walnut.

“So cooool… How was it? Is it really warm? Is it warm enough to melt a chocolate? Can I try it too?” He jumps up in excitement.

Michael looks down with a strict face.

“No you can’t. It is awful and I highly doubt you would still want to try it if you would have been there.”

Gabriel’s lips are curving down as he looks away.

Lucifer kneels beside him and grins at the kid.

“Hey, I’m sure we can find a way to get you there. How about I’m teaching you some tricks?”

Gabriel looks up at him with eyes delirious with joy.

“What tricks?”

Michael frowns.

“Stop impelling the child Lucifer.”

Lucifer just smiles down at Gabe and winks.

“Wouldn’t you want to know that…”

Michael mutters something what sounds like “Unbelievable…”

Gabriel smiles up at Lucifer.

“Will you teach me how to put spiders in the nuns’ shoes?”

Luci laughs.

“Oh come on that’s for kids. I can teach you so much more… How old are you again? You are tiny.” He teases.

Gabriel pouts.

“I’m already fourteen! I’m old enough for anything! And I’m not tiny!”

“Well yes you are. Fourteen huh? Than you really are older than you look… Fine I will teach you.” He sighs pretending that he just gave in and doesn’t really enjoy the attention.

Gabriel jumps on him shouting “Yay!”

Michael just looks away seeing that he can’t stop these two no matter what.

He just sits down in a corner to read.

As he walks there he points out a man he doesn’t know. He must be the visitor. Michael greets him politely.  The man just waves back awkwardly.

Michael starts to read a random book from the bookshelf of the hall.

He sees Lucifer walking around in the hall with a smug smile on his mouth Gabriel following him everywhere.

Michael thinks Lucifer just walks that much to see if Gabriel follows him yet. He seems to enjoy the attention.

He shows Gabriel the master key he used in the amusement park too, and shows Gabriel how to use it to get into the pantry and steal sweets.

Gabriel comes back with a bunch of candy and delightful eyes.

Michael watches Gabriel showing the candies to Castiel, Anna, Raphael, Alfie and Balthazar.

The 13 years old Balthazar seems amused as he pops a candy in his mouth and as Gabriel keeps gabbling about how Lucifer taught him how to get them his eyes are shifting to the newest orphan too.

Castiel and Raphael are unimpressed but Anna runs up to Lucifer too not really saying anything just looking up at him as if observing.

Michael sighs. Seems like he won’t get all the attention from now on…

The visitor disappeared long ago, Michael is not surprised. Most of them are doing the same.


	3. Chapter 3

As time passes a little crowd is forming around Lucifer. The kids are listening to his stories with wide eyes and asking questions. Lucifer answers them all with humor in his voice.

Michael feels a little bit left out as he watches them joking around.

He stares for a long time before returning to his book.

He then feels a gentle tug.

It’s Castiel. The young boy stares up at him with his big sky-blue eyes.

Michael smiles down at him.

“What can I do for you?”

“Can you draw me angel wings? Raphael keeps making fun of me saying Castiel is not a real angel name and I want to prove her wrong.” He says honestly.

Michael laughs silently before kneeling down to draw a pair of black wings on the back of Castiel’s shirt.

Castiel hums satisfied and thanks him then runs back to Raphael showing her his wings. The girl pouts and goes to Michael asking him to draw wings for her too.

Lucifer points out what is Michael doing and soon all the little kids are wearing their own drawn wings.

Lucifer just laughs at them.

“Seems like soon I will have my own army of angels…”

“Can I be the leader of your army?” Gabriel asks excited.

Lucifer looks up and down on him.

“You may. If you swear to worship me for the rest of your life.”

Gabriel jumps up in his arms.

“I swear to worship you!”

Lucifer smirks.

“Wise choice.”

Michael makes a face.

Lucifer winks at him.

He turns away.

­At night Michael tries to read from the Bible but the only ones listening are Castiel, Raphael and the ten years old Alfie.

Anna, Balthazar and Gabriel are sitting in Lucifer’s bed who pretends to be bothered by their presence but Michael can see the smile in his eyes.

“FINE! I will tell you the story of how I’ve escaped from police the first time if you promise to leave me alone afterwards…”

“WE WILL!” answers Anna and Balthazar and Lucifer pretends not to hear Gabriel’s loud “WE WON’T!”

“So the first time I was caught I’ve stole some food from a grocery shop. Not even that much, I wasn’t a pro that time… “ he laughs a bit with nostalgia and the kids are looking at him with wide eyes.  “So anyway Mr. Dead Serious Cop catches the collar of my shirt and says… “He takes the paper of Gabriel’s candy away, folds it up in two half, makes a serious face opens it and shows it to Balthazar pretending the paper is a badge.

“I’m Officer No-one Cares… “ he starts using a deepened over-stern tone. “Can I have your bag please?” He reaches his hand towards Balthazar as if waiting for him to give something. After a little searching Balth gives him a broken DVD of Titanic. Lucifer takes it and looks at it with a thoughtful gaze. “I see, I see… Tell me son… Did you pay for this?” He turns his gaze to Gabriel.

“NOPE!” the boy shouts excited. Lucifer laughs satisfied.

“That’s what I’ve said! So Officer No-One Cares went all “WHAAAT? Are you not even ashamed of yourself?!” So I’ve told him: “Sir. If you have that nice Rolex on your wrist you might not understand… But I have no money. I have to survive somehow.” And I saw his eyes went all “Aww poor kid…” and I’ve told him I have three little brothers and two sisters at home who I have to feed. And guess what? He gave me his Rolex and told me to go back to the shop and pay with it, then drove away. So I took the watch, sold it, and took both the money and the food…” He grins and the kids around him are laughing.

“More stories! More stories!” Gabriel chants and soon Balthazar and Anna are joining.

Raphael glances towards them and shakes her head in disapproval. Michael tries not to listen but sometimes he catches himself staring and watching out for the twist of the stories Lucifer tells.

He thinks the poor kid had one hell of a life but still he feels a pang of jealousy seeing his smile, as if life would be pure fun for him. And three kids Michael cared about for years are listening and watching him with wide eyes.

Michael closes the Bible and orders the children into bed.

Not so long after Gabe stops clinging into Lucifer and goes back to his bed falling asleep immediately Luci climbs into Michael’s bed.

Michael is not impressed, he was just about to sleep and has no desire to make trouble and get caught again. But he already got used to being patient to the kids, and if Lucifer needs someone to talk to or someone to rag him he is committed to be there for him. So he waits for Lucifer to speak up.

But Lucifer just observes him in silence.

His eyes are digging deep into Michael’s as if he would search for something in his soul. It creeps Michael out a bit but he holds his gaze.

After what feels like an eternity Lucifer breaks the eye contact and climbs back to his bed.

Michael does not complain. He lays back and falls into a deep dreamless sleep.

 

 **************************

 

Two weeks later Lucifer is well-known between all nuns and kids.

He is the troublemaker of the orphanage. Everyone knows he steals and flees, and no one knows why it was with him but they also found a pocketknife in his jacket once.

It is a habitual ritual now that every time Lucifer makes trouble Michael gets him on for it.

Some kids are saying Lucifer makes all the trouble so he can see Michael angry. It is a rare sight nonetheless.

It appears as if the kids are forming into two groups now. There are always the same kids around Michael and others around Lucifer.

Gabriel hangs out the most often with Lucifer and Michael is not so sure what are they doing but Gabe turns more shifty and snarky.

Balthazar also hangs around them a lot and he tries to copy some acts of Lucifer and Gabriel. Michael saw him writing some jokes of them down in a pocketbook. He is still young and searches his own style, at least that’s what Michael thinks.

Anna is always silent but she seems to try and learn the charming skills of Luci. She sometimes stands in front of a mirror and practices different types of smiles and expressions of the eye.

Michael’s group: Castiel, Raphael and Alfie are not changing that fast although Raphael helps Michael out more often these days.

Alfie learns to build up things with Lego, and Castiel reads a lot more each day.

Castiel learnt to read a lot faster than all the other kids. Michael thinks if they could test his IQ Castiel would turn out to be super-intelligent. But a test like that is impossible here and Castiel is not someone the visitors would adopt soon. He is bad at communication and can’t understand personal space. Michael blames himself a bit for this; he is often tense when it comes to people too.

The visitor from before keeps showing up every day too asking questions from the nuns first  than from the kids too. It occurs in Michael after a while that he is serious about adopting someone and he wonders who it might be.

The strange guy is a bit beardy and has blue eyes. He wears cheap but comfortable clothes. He is a bit awkward but asks really strange questions.

Michael tries to find out his whereabouts by watching him asking the children.

He asks a lot, mostly things like:

“What are you doing in your fee time?”

“How do you feel about the idea of supernatural creations?”

“Who do you love here the most?”

“What’s your favorite food?”

And other seemingly unimportant things.

Michael also tries to listen to the answers too but fails to see the how those matters. Some of them are stuck in his mind though.

Alfie likes helping people and his favorite food is french fries. He loves Castiel the most.

Balthazar did point at Gabriel when he was asked about who he loves here the most claiming he teaches him magic.

Castiel’s favorite animals are the bees. He loves Anna the most.

Raphael looks up at Michael the most. She likes watching thunder storms.

Gabriel likes anything that’s sweet and his favorite animal is platypus. He loves Lucifer the most but that’s nothing new.

Anna enjoys the little things of life like a slice of cake or a caring gesture. Her most beloved person here is Castiel.

About Lucifer… Michael is sure he was not serious when answering the questions, he acted really smug.

“What would you do for living?”

“Breathing, eating, drinking… You know the usual.”

“What do you do in your free time?”

“Sacrificing animals and children to Satan.”

“Who do you love the most here?”

“Michael.”

“Do you have a favorite book?”

“Why of course I have one! Satanist Bible!”

“Any favorite animals?”

“You mean for a sacrifice? The bigger the best.”

Strangely the visitor just smiled at these answers. He didn’t show up for a while after leaving that day though. And there were no children adopted.

Michael made sure to indoctrinate Luci about politeness afterwards.


	4. Chapter 4

It is a sunny Saturday afternoon. The lunch is French fries which makes Alfie unusually happy.

Gabriel seems even more happy though when he gets the tube of Ketchup in hand. He splashes it in Balthazar’s face. Balth laughs and takes the tube away pouring a lot of ketchup in Gabe’s hair who in response wipes it into Balthazar’s favorite shirt, and it all turns serious at this point.

Balthazar drops the tube when trying to get rid of the red on his shirt and who else would pick it up than Lucifer.

Next thing Michael knows is ketchup all around, it is on him, on the kids, on the floor, even on the ceiling forming a perfect circle and dripping down.

And that’s a kind of chaos Michael tolerates.

But then Raphael walks into the kitchen late, and ketchup drips on her shirt and she makes an annoyed noise and that’s the point when Michael knows this won’t end nicely.

Because the only one who stood still during the whole food-fight unsure of what to do, namely Castiel holds the tube of ketchup now, and his eyes are lightening up in realization as he slowly walks towards Raphael stopping only a step from her, holds up the tube, looks deep into her questioning eyes and splashes all the remaining ketchup into her face.

Everyone falls silent.

Raphael’s eyes are surprised at first. Then they are turning into disgusted, and finally become and stay stormy with anger.

She slaps Castiel across the face.

The black haired boy is stunned, his eyes are teary as he looks down touching his face, he stares into the distance probably searching for what he did wrong.

The first one to run there is Gabriel, Michael and Lucifer following him not so long after. The others are too afraid to approach Raphael.

Gabe kneels beside Castiel hushing him and sending an ice-cold gaze towards Raphael.

Michael steps closer to Raphael and says calmly but in a stern tone.

“Apologize.”

Raphael looks at Michael, her eye softening just a bit.

“He was the one who started.”

“He doesn’t want to hurt you but you’ve slapped him. You are the one at fault here so apologize.”

“He splashed ketchup at me!”

“There’s ketchup all over us too! He just wanted to join the fun!”

“The FUN?! Is this mess funny for you now Michael? Because it is certainly not for me! You are like this since the new kid showed up! He is a bad influence on you! Why can’t you just be the old Michael again?!”

Raphael screams and Michael freezes.

 He didn’t realize these changes in himself. He was so distracted by the others he did not realize he was different now too.

He is thunderstruck.

He only snaps out when Lucifer steps between him and Raphael.

“Look sweetheart. I know it might be hard for you to understand… But people are sometimes not what we want them to be. Sometimes they have a thing called personality. And sometimes this thing changes with the help of other interesting stuff called emotions. Of course only if these are REALLY strong emotions. If you know what I mean.”

Lucifer winks at Raphael with an evil smile playing on his lips, and Michael has no idea what is he talking about and why did it make Raphael cry.

The girl excuses herself muttering a weak apology in Castiel’s direction.

Michael supposes Lucifer told her something what made her regret her actions deeply.

Lucifer appears to be satisfied but Michael fails to see the reason.

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­

The strange visitor shows up again the next week, but he does not ask just sits down and watches them.

Honestly Michael is not sure anymore if he really wants to adopt anyone or just pedophile.

The small ones are all playing with Lego except Castiel who asks Michael for the Bible so he can read it.

Michael gives the book to him and follows Cas with his eyes who sits into a corner near to a window and starts reading.

The oldest boy is alone again.

He looks around and points out Lucifer sitting alone in front of the television which is only allowed to be watched only between 3 and 4 pm.

He sits down next to him.

The film he watches seems to be a cartoon about a cat and a mouse constantly fighting.

Lucifer snickers when the mouse tricks the cat into stepping into his own mousetrap.

Michael does not understand the logic of cartoons but he watches it anyway.

 *************************

After the cartoon ends Lucifer turns the television off and turns towards Michael who still glares at the TV and mutters something about violent cartoons.

“You didn’t seem to enjoy this one.” he remarks.

“This made no sense at all it was just a chain of violent actions. Children are really watching this crap? Unbelievable…”

Lucifer laughs.

“What else should they do in a place like this? Playing with Lego?” Luci gestures towards the kids still trying to build a tower as high as Raphael. She is calmer these days and tries to act more kind towards the others. Michael is grateful for that.

“I was thinking about reading books like Castiel does! If they wish to see animals in human situations they could just read Aesopus or something like that…”

Lucifer looks at him as if unsure about Michael’s sanity.

“Aesopus? Really Michael? And Castiel is not normal. No one reads that much books. Those are lame.”

“Books are not lame! They are so much better than the television! They are making us think harder and letting us to form our opinion and allows us to give them a new meaning.”

Lucifer just rolls his eyes.

“Oh come on… Don’t act like this Luce. Surely you have a favorite book.” Lucifer opens his mouth to answer “And don’t give me that Satanic Bible crap.” He closes it again and looks away.

“Just think about it. What books did you read?”

Lucifer avoids his eyes when saying

“I hate books.”

Michael knows he is lying but does not understand why.

“Books are really different. I’m sure you like at least one.”

“Can’t we just watch the TV?” Lucifer reaches for the remote control but Michael shoves it away.

“Stop avoiding the question Lucifer!” his eyes are widening when he realizes something. “Wait… Can you read?”

Lucifer forces laughter.

“Oh, Mikey of course I can read… Now give me the controller.” He tries to reach for the remote control but Michael catches his hand.

“You know if you can’t it is okay. I can teach you.”

“I’ve told you I CAN read!” Lucifer tears his arm out of Michael’s grip, takes the remote control and turns the TV on. His face is red.

Michael lets it go and watches the small yellow cartoon bird in the television.

 *********************

It is midnight when Lucifer climbs into Michael’s bed and shakes him until he wakes up.

Michael scrubs his eyes.

“What now?” he asks tiredly.

“Teach me how to read.”

Michael can’t say he is surprised to hear that request (Lucifer was staring at some books warily all day) but the timing is not exactly what he expected.

“… Can’t it wait until the morning…?”

“So everyone can see me struggling and laugh at me? No freaking way.” Lucifer hisses.

Michael buries his face in his pillow once again before sitting up and taking papers, a pen and a book in hand.

“Do you know how to write your name?”

“Does the satanic symbol count?”

Michael does not answer instead he writes down the ABC on the paper.

 *********************

It truly amazes Michael how fast Lucifer learns.

When the sun rises Lucifer already reads almost fluently and writes perfectly.

He is way faster than Castiel if it comes to learning.

Michael watches as Lucifer writes a few sentences on a paper.

He is really proud of him even if those sentences are part of a description about a satanic ritual.

 **********************

Michael is spellbound when seeing Lucifer reading Hamlet at that afternoon.

His thoughtful expression as he places his index finger to his mouth is beautiful in some way.

He does not realize Raphael behind himself until she speaks up.

“He is smart isn’t he?”

Michael turns towards her and nods.

“He learns fast.”

Raphael smiles but her eyes are sad. It worries Michael.

“Can I help you in anything?”

“Michael. What do you think of me?”

The question surprises him.

“You are… kind. And strong. And responsible…”

“But how do you feel about me?”

Michael frowns.

“I love you of course. I love all of you. You are like family to me.”

Raphael nods as if she had already expected this answer. She smiles a true smile then.

“Well you are the best big brother ever.”

Michael feels a bit warmer at that response. He has always seen the other orphans as his brothers and sisters, but he was not sure if they felt the same. Raphael’s comment makes him feel as if all his work to raise these kids were not useless.

“Thank you Raphael.”

She smiles and hugs him and he hugs her back.

He does not see Lucifer glancing at them from behind his book.

 ****************************

Lucifer seems to be more distant for a while now. Michael wonders what he did wrong. He did try to talk to him about lots of things but he seemed and still seems to be too deep in his thoughts.

Michael is worried.

But somehow after a few days Lucifer is just normal again, maybe even more cheerful.

He hangs out with Gabriel more and talks to Michael about the books he read.

He keeps fleeing at the night but comes back more early so he does not get caught anymore.

Sometimes he takes Gabe out too.

At the end Gabe manages not to get into the Cage, not even once.

He sometimes says it’s a shame but Michael knows he just tries to be cool. He knows life more well now and avoids being caught.

Life is not peaceful, not even a bit since Lucifer is here and somehow Michael does not mind that.

It was too peaceful until now anyway.

He slowly gets used to the crazy things Lucifer makes them all do (as long as it is not satanist or dangerous of course) and he is glad to be part of all this.

And just when he gets comfortable with everything around them the strange visitor from earlier storms into the orphanage -wearing nothing but a banian a pair of socks and undershorts- runs straight to the adopting session, smacks his hands on the desk and shouts:

“My name is Chuck Shurley and I want all of them!”


End file.
